Lazy Perry Ranch Blog

Build Your Own Custom Yarn!

2012-02-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

Build Your Own Custom Yarn
I offer something unique in my ETSY shop that you should take advantage of. I will dye any yarn I have available to me in any color you ask for at no additional charge above my normal shop prices. That's right, it is the same price as the yarn I have dyed without your input. I don't know if you can find that anywhere else in the variety and color work I am able and willing to do for you.
Here are a few examples of the custom orders I have done in the past:

Behind the scenes

2012-02-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

Today is re-skeining day. This is tedious and time consuming work. Some sellers don't re-skein at all but sell the yarn as it comes out of the dye pot. That's OK of course, but I feel this looks very unfinished and unprofessional. I choose to put in the extra time to finish the product.
I think there is a little bit of misconception about how much money indie dyers make doing this. There is this idea that we get the yarn for pennies and throw it in some dye and BOOM, we make a ton of profit on each skein. This is so far from reality that it is laughable. Even wholesale the base yarn is expensive. Then add hours of processing to each skein, plus re-skeining, labeling, packaging, shop maintenance and listing, hours on getting good photos, advertising, donations, teaching, etc and I am lucky if I turn a profit. In fact, if I were to pay myself minimum wage I would be in the red. Not complaining, just demystifying. I love doing this! It pays for my own hobby/habit and that was always the goal. It is an artistic endeavor that I thrive on. Profit? No. Fulfillment? yes:)

Here are skeins waiting to be re-skeined and one on the swift tied to another swift. It is just a transfer process. The swifts are not electric. I stand there and turn them by hand.

Some of the skeins ready for labeling.

Indigo Re-visited

2012-01-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

I did BLOG about dying with Indigo some time ago but I took more pictures this time and wanted to share more about this process. Dying with Indigo is different than dying with other dyes. This is the information I have in my yarn listings:

"This dye has been used since ancient times and is one of the most interesting of all natural dyes. What makes it so interesting is that it is not water soluble as other dyes are. In order to make it water soluble it must be fermented which removes the oxygen. Along with a chemical reaction that occurs with a mordant and reintroducing the oxygen to the yarn immediately after dying the incredible results you see here are what happens. It is amazing! The yarn is pale Yellowish in the liquid. When it hits the air it is magically transformed permanently into a glorious Indigo Blue.
The plant is processed into cakes in preparation for the dying process. This is what you see in the picture to your right.
(Resource: The weaving, Spinning, and Dyeing Book by Rachel Brown)"

You can see in the photos below how the yarn comes out of the water a sludgy looking yellow and the longer it is exposed the more blue it becomes. It is a great chemistry experiment!

This is the dye as it comes to me. I grind it into a powder in order to use it.

The yarn being pulled from the dye bath.

After 30 seconds or so.

After a few minutes.

Finished Product.

Natural Dye Experiment

2012-01-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

I finally got some yarn dyed yesterday. I have been trying to get to it for some time but with the holidays and life and all... I dyed some sport weight yarn with Rabbit Bush harvested from my yard a while back (see earlier blog post) and I wasn't super happy with it. I put it away and have been thinking on it. I have read several accounts of over-dying with natural dyes lately so I decided to give it a try. I went with cochineal thinking that the pinkish over the gold would produce some shades including orange. That is not what happened but it is gloriously beautiful! Here is a picture of it still wet. I am still rinsing it. It is a painstaking process because this yarn is not superwash and I need to be extra careful not to felt it but it needs to be rinsed vigorously. It ends up being soak, gently ring and then soak again. It may take me all day to get it completely rinsed.

I also dyed two colors of sock yarn. Southern Pacific and Purple Sage in Bloom. Here they are with their inspiration photos. I will get them both listed in my shop today and tomorrow.

Purple Sage in Bloom

Southern Pacific

2012-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Several months ago I incubated some chicken eggs and only two hatched. One yellow and one black chick. It was surprising since they are both from Buckeye parents and both should have been yellow. I have since learned this is a normal variation that can occur. I wanted to post pictures of the chicks and what they have grown into. The black one is a hen with brilliant colors when the light hits her and the other is the rooster with classical Buckeye coloring. As soon as they are back to laying lots of eggs I will get more eggs into the incubator. I can't wait!

Harvesting Rabbit Bush

2011-10-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Rabbit Bush grows naturally here and when it is in bloom it is harvest time. Right now it is blooming in abundance on my property. This lovely plant can be used as a natural dye on fiber and yarn as well as fabric. Look for newly dyed yarn in my shop soon from this harvest!

This is yarn dyed from last years harvest.

Sale Just for You!

2011-10-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have created a coupon code just for people who follow my blog. When you place your order use the code BLOGIT and you will receive 10% off your order. That is 10% in addition to already reduced prices! You can get up to 30% off total if you shop wisely. Enjoy and thank you,
Collette epicurus.etsy.com

Featured Artist - Knits by Teri

2011-10-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Knits by Teri is am amazing lace knit designer and friend. She worked with me a few years ago to create a pattern to go with my yarn thus the shawl yarn was created. It was a amazing collaboration that I really enjoyed and learned a lot from. Teri is a prolific knitter and I know she has made many wonderful things lately but one of them came to my attention and I want to share it with all of you. It is made from one of my yarns called Moon Over the Mojave that is a color changing yarn.

This is the inspiration picture for the yarn.

...and this is the yarn.

Teri made a shawl out of the yarn using the pattern Romi's Sakaki. Each pattern she sells she donates $5 towards the earthquake victims in Japan. It is a lovely pattern and doesn't require very much yarn. Teri did it in only 400 yards of fingering weight yarn and it came out lovely! Hope you enjoy it and are inspired to give it a try yourself. I am:)

Teri's version of the shawl.

You can find Teri's pattern's for sale in her Etsy shop as well as on Ravelry. She also is a member of Seasons of Lace which is a seasonal knit along for lace knitters.

New Toy

2011-09-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Each of us has a different idea of what kinds of things we want and consider toys. For me, it is a new electric drum carder! It is bigger than my old manual drum carder and can turn out fiber faster with less effort. Oh yeah.
For those of you who have ever wondered how we get from animal to a usable yarn this is it. First, of course, you shear or otherwise remove the fiber from the animal. Then you wash the fiber. Once you are at this point it is time to card it. This is the process of smoothing out and lining up the fibers in preparation for spinning. When I first started preparing fiber I used hand carders. They look sort of like a big dog flicker brush. It took forever to get enough fiber prepared to make anything. Then I got a drum carder. This device has the combs on a drum that rotates so you can feed the fiber in and process faster. It has a hand crank. It still takes a long time and much effort. Now, the next step up, electric. Now my hands are free to work the fiber and I no longer have to work up a sweat. Here are some pictures of my first adventure with my new toy.

Here are the raw fibers I used. The white is a really nice and soft sheep's wool, the pink, purple and orange is silk top and the blue is Cotswold sheep long curly locks I dyed blue.

This is the drum carder itself from the end you feed the fiber into.

Here is the drum portion loaded with the wool combined with the silk top.

Removal of fiber.

Here you can see both the wool combined with silk and the wool combined with the Cotswold. This is now ready to spin.

The finished product. Carousel

Just Listed - Chumash Basket - Merino/Cashmere/Nylon Fingering Weight Yarn

2011-09-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

Color - Chumash BasketMy family went camping with our homeschool group at Carpenteria State beach. This area was once Chumash Indian land. A Chumash representative came and spoke with us and showed us many wonderful Chumash items. This lovely basket full of gourd rattles and such was among them. I love the colors which are represented in this lovely yarn - turquoise, green, red and tan. Enjoy California history come to life!
This yarn will self pattern.

400 yards, Approx 3.5 oz, 80% Merino Wool, 10% Cashmere, and 10% Nylon Fingering Weight Yarn. The finest Merino Wool combined with the extreme luxury of Cashmere and a bit of Nylon for added strength. The perfect sock yarn!

See pattern recommendations to be sure if this yarn meets your needs..
Washable by hand or machine. Lay flat to dry.
This yarn has been hand dyed with professional quality acid dyes especially for you by Collette
Color varies from monitor to monitor. I have tried to offer the most reliable photos as possible.
All photographs are protected under US copyright. Any unauthorized use is prohibited

Congratulations to Oone for winning a Red Ribbon at the World Sheep and Fiber Festival!

2011-09-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to post about a client of mine, Oone on Etsy who purchased some yarn from my shop and made two pairs of socks from it. One of them won a red ribbon at the World Sheep and Fiber Festival at Bethel, MO's fiber arts competition! I am so excited for her, and thrilled that she did it with my yarn.

The Winning Socks from Oone

Surprise Stripes 4 Color Changing Yarn

Flower Art Yarn

2011-09-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by a friend to create a new art yarn. I used some heavy lace weight yarn I had dyed and crocheted small flowers all along it. I spaced them out sort of randomly. I then took some Merino/Silk roving that I dyed to go with it and spun it right onto the flower strand, Came back and did another ply and it was done. I am quite pleased with the flowers throughout. Haven't decieded if this is for sale or personal use yet. The pictures aren't great. Just not a good photography day outside.

Newly Listed Hand Spun Yarns

2011-09-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a new base fiber for my spinning. The one I liked the most seems to have vanished. I found this lovely Merino Wool/Tussah Silk blend and have just listed two skeins of yarn made from it. It took the dye beautifully and vibrantly and spun up like a dream. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Majestic 254 Yards

Windy 283 Yards

Just Listed - Last Chance - Chestnut - Worsted Weight Yarn - Merino Wool 200 Yards

2011-08-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is a Last Chance Yarn and it is reduced 20% to move quickly. I no longer carry this base yarn. This is your chance to get it before it is gone! Be sure to get as much as you will need for your project. There will be no more. This yarn has a repeating pattern. 100% Merino Wool Worsted Weight Yarn. Approx 3.5 oz, 200 yards. This is a wonderfully soft and nice feeling yarn. Use this yarn for all your worsted weight projects, hats, sweaters, etc. Let your imagination be your guide.

Just Listed - Lavish- Hand Spun Alpaca, Merino and Wool - 2 Ply - 3.4 oz

2011-08-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Color - Lavish You will by lavished in luxury with this lovely handspun yarn. It is two ply's of blended Baby Alpaca and Superfine Merino wool, super soft and luxurious. Enjoy! Approx 3.8 oz, 210 yards of 50% Baby Alpaca, and 50% Superfine Merino Wool. 2 Ply handspun yarn. Averaging from 10-13 WPI Medium Weight Yarn

Just Listed Sky Blue Tweed - Sport Weight - Silk and Merino Yarn

2011-08-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

This is a Last Chance Yarn and it is reduced 20% to move quickly. I no longer carry this base yarn. This is your chance to get it before it is gone! Be sure to get as much as you will need for your project. There will be no more.

85% South American Merino Wool , 15% Silk Sport Weight Yarn . Approx 4.1 oz, 300 yards.
This is a super soft and squishy yarn. It feels fantastic in your hand. The silk is plied with the merino creating the "tweed" effect. You don't want to miss out on this one!

Binding Off: Intermediate and Advanced Techniques

2011-08-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

This comes from Knitting Daily and I thought it was worth sharing here:)

Free Pattern - Breaking Bad Afghan

2011-08-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

How-To: Crochet "Breaking Bad" Afghan

Really cute!!

Make you own Feed Sack Messenger Bag

2011-08-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Make you own Feed Sack Messenger Bag

This is a really cute idea. You can see how to do it here!

FUZZY GALORE - Choosing a Spinning Wheel

2011-07-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a really great article that explains it all. If you are looking for a spinning wheel all the information is here for the taking!

Just Listed - Plentiful

2011-07-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Plentiful - Hand Spun Alpaca, Merino and Wool - 2 Ply - 3.8 oz

Spinning yarn using a drop spindle

2011-07-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

<br><br><br><br>ggggThis is a nice little tutorial on how to use a drop spindle.

Time for More Yarn! T-Shirt

2011-07-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

Just Listed

2011-07-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

Color - Bountiful
You will find bountiful beauty with this lovely handspun yarn. It is two ply's of blended Baby Alpaca and Superfine Merino wool, super soft and luxurious. Enjoy!

Approx 3.4 oz, 138 yards of 50% Baby Alpaca, and 50% Superfine Merino Wool. 2 Ply handspun yarn. Averaging from 10-13 WPI Medium Weight Yarn

A message about plying yarn. Plying the singles gives them balance. A single strand pulls in the direction it was spun. Spinning two or three of these spun singles in the opposite direction balances out the twist so it won't pull either way. Plying also increases the strength of the yarn and adds elasticity.

Check your pattern recommendations to be sure if this yarn is suitable for your needs. Hand wash and lay flat to dry. Very suitable for felting.
This yarn has been hand dyed especially for you with professional quality, non toxic, colorfast dyes by Collette
Color varies from monitor to monitor. I have tried to offer the most reliable photos as possible.

Little Bo Peep Bride - Beautiful!

2011-07-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Little Bo Peep bride marries in stunning dress made of wool from her own flock of sheep(just click the picture for the full story)

Featured Item

2011-07-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.cafepress.com/knitty.490833336
How cute is this?

New Crochet Sock Pattern!

2011-05-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a new crochet sock pattern for awhile now. The old patterns used a heavy lace weight yarn that I no longer have access to. I am now designing them to work with a fingering weight yarn that I carry in my shop. In fact, I am offering the pattern free with the purchase of the suggested yarn!
This pattern is a basic sock pattern with a ribbed cuff. I have re-designed the cuff in such as way that is much improved over the old design. I love the way the socks feel in the BFL (Blue Faced Leicester) Wool, and it is superwash too so you can throw them right into the machine if you want to.

Fluffy Clouds in a Blue Sky

2011-04-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when I play with my spinning wheel. Yesterday morning I didn't have much time but my spinning wheel kept whispering my name. I had this idea to blend some blue merino/tencel that I had already spun into a single strand with some Border Leicester/Lincoln curly locks that I had. I did a little sample and was blown away by how nicely it came together. Here is the result newly listed in my shop. It is hard not to keep the yarn I spin!

Aeolian Shawl by Sadija

2011-04-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

Sadija bought some lace weight yarn from my shop some time back and this is what she did with it. The Aeolian Shawl pattern is a free pattern from Knitty written by Elizabeth Freeman. It is doubly cool that this shawl pattern and my yarn have met up, as we are both lovers of the Mojave Desert!

Sadija made her shawl but ran out of yarn with only a few rows left to go. I dyed more but it was not an exact match. She used it anyway, but it was still not quite enough so she improvised with some other yarn she had from my shop that was more gold than the rest of the shawl. The effect couldn't be better if she had planned it. The body of the shawl is Yellow on Yellow and the end of the edging is Mormon Tea. Her craftswomanship is noteworthy and the end result is stunning! Nicely done Sadija and thank you for allowing me to share your work here on my blog:)

TheEmperorsScarves

2011-04-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

The Emperors Scarves
This is my sons new Etsy shop. He is eleven years old and crocheting up a storm. He is knitting too but likes crochet much more. These are his own designs and ideas. He is extremely independent in his ideas and balks at the slightest suggestion from me lol He has listed four items so far, two scarves and two sets of coasters. I can't wait to see what is to come. Check it out and give him some love by "liking" his shop or items!

Senatorial Scarf

Ceasers Scarf

Consul's Coasters

Consul's Coasters Grey Green and Blue

Special Orders are Encouraged!

2011-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

In my Etsy Shop I do a lot of custom orders. I have created a listing to help guide you through the process but if you don't see what you want there, just ask me and I will see if I can do it for you. I have options there based on what I keep in stock all the time. I can get many different base yarns that are not shown there. The yarn shown below is a great example. I don't have bulky weight yarn in my shop but I do have access to it. This client wanted her yarn dyed yellow, orange, red and brown in a randomly variegated fashion. Done and I couldn't be happier with the result. It is gorgeous!

Ask me for a quote. I charge exactly the same for custom dyes as I do for the yarn I design myself. What have you got to lose?

New Crochet Sock Pattern

2011-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Some of you already know that I designed "The Perfect Crochet Sock Patterns" a few years ago. They were made from a heavy lace weight yarn which was perfect for crochet socks. The base yarn I had been using was discontinued and I was never able to find a suitable replacement. I marked the patterns down to half price and set out to create new patterns with sock yarn. I just didn't find the motivation until now.
I have finished the first sock in my Basic Sock Pattern designed to use standard sock/fingering weight yarn and I am thrilled with the result. I actually like it better than the old design. It is much improved. I only need to finish the second sock and pattern revisions and get it to my tester before I can release it. Look for it in a few weeks!
This sock is crocheted in the color Changing.

My Legacy

2011-02-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

I have three sons and no daughters. My oldest is 20 and my youngest is 11. I have explained to each of them that crochet and knitting are not female activities and that lots of guys do it. None of them have ever wanted to learn.

Recently my youngest finally agreed to give it a try. He chose crochet. He learned very quickly and got started on his first project, a scarf. He finished in just a few days and was very happy with his creation. He wanted to make a hat next so we began the discussion on yarn choice. We came up with the perfect yarn for him. It is a color called "The Feather" that is based on a picture of him holding a feather up. It was taken several years ago. It is such a beautiful color of browns and blues. He is about half way through his hat already and it looks great and fits him perfectly. I am so pleased that he is learning this and especially that he is enjoying it!

I do pass on what I know very often. I have taught many people how to crochet and knit but it is not the same as passing this on to one of my own children. I learned from my mother and grandmother and I feel the need to pass it down to my children and hopefully, someday, to my grandchildren. Cross this one off the bucket list!

The Yarn

The Picture

The Hat

Finished Projects

2011-02-15T07:37:00.000-08:00

I finally finished two of the projects I have talked about here. The purse I made from Bacchus and the Bunnies is done and the Vintage Pot Holder is finished as well.

The purse is made from yarn I spun from my alpaca Bacchus and fiber from my angora bunnies that have since passed on. It is actually a little darker than in the picture. It is a very overcast day but Bacchus is very black! I lined the purse with a pair of old kids jeans. It makes a perfect purse liner with all the pockets already in place!

The pot holder was really fun to re-create from the sample one I was given from Karen Taylor. I need to make the woven bits a little longer but other than that I think I got it just right. Each side looks a little different just as in the original. I think I would like to try on out of fingering weight yarn next!

Vintage Project

2011-02-07T08:15:00.001-08:00

Have you ever tried to re-create something just by looking at it?
A friend of mine brought me this pot holder that was made by her aunt a long time ago. She had a lot of them but this one was getting really worn out. Rather than throw it away she gave it to me knowing I would love it (and I do:). I set out right away to re-create it. It seems fairly straight forward and it is working out very well so far. I am doing mine in baby blue and the accent color will be dark blue. You can see the first panel in the 2nd picture below. I need to use a smaller hook next time to get it a little bit tighter but otherwise I think it is coming along perfectly! I just need to make one more panel and then put them together. I can't wait to see it done!

Sock Yarn!

2011-01-29T05:44:00.001-08:00

I have many different color changing sock yarns in stock right now. These yarns are also great for scarves, gloves, fingerless gloves, and a whole lot of other projects too. Anything that you would use fingering weight yarn for. They are super fun to work with as you watch the different colors slowly unfold. Come have a look and give it a try!

Just click on any of the pictures for more information.

Ostrich

Rainbow

Days Gone By

2011-01-25T08:25:00.001-08:00

My grandmother died a few years ago. As the time grew near I was offered this blanket that my grandmother made years ago. It was presented as an old, tattered, accidentally shrunk, torn blanket that they should probably just throw out.

Of course, I wanted it. My grandmother and my mother both taught me how to crochet when I was very young. I would bring my projects to my grandmother and she would carefully inspect them and give me tips on how to improve for next time. She had a keen eye and could spot the tinest imperfection. I wanted her approval more than anything but I look back on that and realize that my skill as a crocheter is due to her diligence. She lead me with love and honesty and I now lead my own children with that same goal.

I remember Grandma telling me how she liked to crochet these blankets while on driving trips with my Grandfather. He drove like a madman and to keep her sanity she focused on her crocheting. It drove Grandpa crazy but she kept on doing it. When I look at this blanket I think of my Grandmother teaching me, telling me stories, and guiding through her example of integrity. Yes, I want this blanket and I want to be remembered by my family through my works as well.

Just Listed

2011-01-23T08:34:00.001-08:00

Color - The Feather

This picture was taken in our local mountains where this precious feather was found on the ground by this little boy. It was almost magical to him as he showed it off to everyone who would look. He picked it up and I snapped this picture. It is such a lovely color and memory. Please enjoy "The Feather" in lovely shades of brown and blue.

Are you tired of patterning and striping yarns? This yarn was dyed so that it will knit or crochet in a randomly variegated manner. It is striking as it unfolds in its own special way. No pooling, no worries.

100% South American Merino Wool Worsted Weight Yarn. Approx 3.5 oz, 200 yards. Recommend size 7-9 needles.
This is a wonderfully soft and nice feeling yarn. Use this yarn for all your worsted weight projects, hats, sweaters, etc. Let your imagination be your guide.

Check your pattern recommendations to be sure if this yarn is suitable for your needs.

Washable by hand. Lay flat to dry. Suitable for felting.
This yarn has been hand dyed especially for you with professional quality, non toxic, colorfast dyes by Collette

Adding new colors all the time!

2011-01-19T08:47:00.001-08:00

I have been working hard to get some new colors up and listed in my shop. I will have more new colors and styles daily. Next up are a few more lace weights and then I am doing some new worsted weights plus mixing in color changers in all the time. I still have a 20% off sale section as well. Come by and take a look!

Bacchus and the Bunnies

2011-01-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

When I am out and about and people notice I am wearing something I have made they always ask if it was made from my animals. When I say no they seem let down, as if I should spend my days working the fiber to make only what I can produce myself. In reality, it is so labor intensive that I mostly dye and spin yarn/fiber I buy already prepared and then I dye it myself.

I spent several hours a day for the past three days making one skein of yarn from my animals. I am going to make myself a purse out of it. I used fiber from my black alpaca (Bacchus), and fiber from my angora rabbits (may they rest in peace). I used my drum carder to prepare the fibers for spinning as well as to blend them. Then I spun and spun and spun. Two singles, each about 200 yards and then plyed them. It is a total of 5.4 ounces and 210 yards. After all of this I would never consider selling it. This is always personal use! I can't wait to get started on my new purse. Now when someone asks I can proudly say "yes, I produced this myself from my own animals" :)
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SALE 10% off the entire store through 2010!

2010-12-07T07:16:00.001-08:00

SALE 10% off the entire store through 2010!

Come and check it out!

Dying Shawl Yarn Today

2010-11-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting around to dying more shawl yarn today. I prepped enough to do three yesterday. It is so much work I don't do them very often but I am down to two lonely balls in my shop! I will likely do two of them in color ways I have done before but I want to come up with something new for the third. Here are a few of the color ways I have done in the past.

Halloween Gear

2010-10-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

I finished my Wrap and Gloves for Halloween. If course I will wear them year round but I designed them to be for the wife of the devil:) I had this mohair yarn that is very lightweight sitting around waiting to be used. I bought it from some local gals some time ago. It was perfect for this project. I made the gloves fingerless and added little devil tail detail to match the hat. The wrap is just garter stitch with big needles. It went fast and is exactly what I was hoping for!

Catching Up

2010-10-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't been checking in here as much as I would like to lately. I did want to show you the new caplet I just finished. I had 1000 yards of fingering weight yarn so I dyed it up in a progression of fun whimsical colors and wrote this pattern. This is the prototype. The pattern still needs a few tweaks but I am so very happy with this caplet. I am keeping this one but the next one will go in my shop. The final pattern will be written for sport weight yarn. While it is lovely in fingering weight it takes too long to knit it up. I think sport weight will be a much better choice!

And...the devil hat taken from Stitch and Bitch. I am going to wear this on on Halloween. I also made a light weight red wrap that still needs to be blocked and I am making some red lacy gloves to complete the ensemble:)

Yarn Sale!

2010-06-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

I have just added more yarns to my sale section. I will be adding more daily for the next month so be sure to check in daily!

New Art Yarn

2010-06-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article in a Spinning Magazine about textured yarn and had to give it a whirl. While I didn't really accomplish the yarn discussed in the article I did invent a textured yarn of my own design. I am completely in love with this yarn!
I used some singles I had left over from another project. It was all sorts of colors that didn't necessarily coordinate. I was just practicing after all so it seemed like a good choice at the time. It is thick and thin and has slubs, coils, whorls and loops all through it.
After it was spun I needed to wash it and then use it to see how it held up and knitted up. I made a little neck warmer out of it. Even with the funky colors I love it and will definitely wear it. Here is the neck warmer.

And here is the yarn I made for my shop using this technique. I used some roving I dyed a while back that I called Divine. It is full of blues and greens of all kinds. Really lovely and I couldn't be more pleased with it. The hardest part was listing it instead of using it myself!

Mojave Road Trip 2010

2010-05-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

Here is the pictorial story of our journey. If you want to see more detail on the pictures click on them to enlarge. I will do a separate post for the flowers we saw.

If you want to learn more about what the Mojave Road is click here.

The trail originally began at the Colorado River. There is farm land now that separates the river from the trail. We drove to the river to see where it began and then had to drive on the road to get to the current trail beginning.

Dillon at the trail head. This is the first Cairn.

Don't know the story on this Hotel.

There were large sections of the trail infested with Dodder (aka Witches Hair).

Fort Pah-ute.

Don at Fort Pah-ute.

Dillon and I at Fort Pah-ute.

The old school bus.

What the trail looks like.

Don said this was an airport.

This can hangs from a tree along the trail and you are supposed to put a coin in it.

Railroad Memorial.

Top of Railroad Memorial.

Two adorable newly born bobcat kittens.

Wildlife.

This is the trail at the Rock House.

Hiking the trail at the Rock House.

Looking through the window at the Rock House.

Old water trough at the Rock House.

Nevada Southern Railway Memorial.

Turkey Vulture.

Government Hole.

Government Hole.

Desert Tortoise.

Horned Lizard.

Baby Praying Mantis.

Darkling Beetle.

Lizard.

Marl Springs.

The Mailbox.

Inside the Mailbox.

Frog shrine at the mailbox.

Frogs playing cards.

Dillon down in the Lava Tube.

Picture from in the Lava Tube.

Looking up at me on ground level.

The old house.

Soda Ash Lake.

Travelers Monument. Dillon climbed up to look at the secret plaque on top. No, I won't tell you what it said. You have to go and see it for yourself!

Don adding his rock to the monument.

Dillon and I adding ours.

Afton Canyon. In the picture on the left you can see where we were going. You can see cars driving down in that picture the "easy way". In the picture on the right you can see me stuck on the "hard way" road.

Made it to the top and it was beautiful!

We actually did two Mojave River crossings and we did them both twice. Here is a picture of Dillon and I crossing in the Jeep.

And here is Don crossing in the Sammie.

My newest Dragon Shawl and Lovely Shawl Pin

2010-03-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

First I would like to introduce this lovely shawl pin by Grahtoestudio. Kimi, the woman behind
Grahtoestudio bought one of my Dragon Shawls and we bartered for this beautiful shawl pin. I am so very pleased with my shawl pin. It is beautiful and very well crafted. I hope you will go and have a look around her shop. She has many wonderful things in addition to shawl pins. Kimi is very pleased with her shawl and sent me these pictures of her at the Grand Canyon wearing it. The shawl looks wonderful on you Kimi! Thank you for sharing your pictures:)

My shawl pin

Kimi at the Grand Canyon

Kimi at the Grand Canyon

My new Dragon Shawl

How to mend your hand made socks

2010-03-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

If you like to make socks like I do than you probably have a pile of socks with holes in them. I have been saving them waiting for inspiration on new ways to recycle them. I made a pouch out of one of them and fingerless gloves out of another pair. The thought occurred to me that I could felt over the holes and continue to wear them longer. I got out my needle felting supplies and went to it. It worked wonderfully. As you can see in the picture the patches can look really obvious or barely there depending on how well you match the sock color. The pale blue ones were a pretty good match. The patches will be in my shoes anyone so on one will see them anyway.

All you have to do is cut a piece of felting foam into a small square and insert it into the sock where the hole is. Lay out some wool thinly in the shape you want it to be and start needle felting. If you have never done any needle felting a project like this is the perfect way to learn. You just keep poking the needle through only the surface of the area you are felting over and over until it is done. Each time the needle goes in the wool is felting slightly. The needle has tiny barbs on the end that do the felting. It does take some time but it is well worth it to get more life from hand made socks!

Retro Loafers Finally Ready!

2010-03-07T07:49:00.000-08:00

I have been working on designing a baby booties using super soft bamboo thread/yarn and they are finally ready. I am working on a pattern to release as well but it is not ready yet. I need to get with my tester first.
The booties are designed to resemble Hush Puppies that were popular in the 70's. I wore them all through elementary school and they were the coolest back then! They are super cute and I am very happy with how they came out!

Also My blog made the top 50 blogs in yarn so thank you to those of you who follow my blog:)
Collette/Epicurus

Worsted Weight in Stock Again!

2010-02-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

My yarn supplier has been out of worsted weight merino yarn for some time and it is finally back. I have just listed three new colors and will have more next week so keep checking back!

The Feather
This picture was taken in our local mountains where this precious feather was found on the ground by this little boy. It was almost magical to him as he showed it off to everyone who would look. He picked it up and I snapped this picture. It is such a lovely color and memory. Please enjoy "The Feather" in lovely shades of brown and blue.

Winter Fat
This incredible shrub is not only strikingly beautiful but also extremely useful to wildlife in the winter time. As the name suggests it is a source of food in sparse times for local wildlife. I just like to look at it and hope you will too. Enjoy the subtle coloring of Winter fat.
This yarn has a repeating pattern.

Magenta Cactus Bud
I don't know what kind of cactus this flower bud came from but it was so striking my husband had to get a picture of it. I love the subtle colors in this complex yet simple color and hope you will too. This yarn will knit with random variegation.

What I have been working on...

2010-01-04T09:48:00.001-08:00

Some of you may remember this hat I made a few months back. It is made from this yarn I have in my shop and I totally love it. I wear it most every day around the house and if I go out too.

needed a neck warmer that I could wear with it. I made a colorway that had shorter repeats but it otherwise the same color scheme and made the neck warmer below. The pattern is from the magazine Spin Off. It was intended for hand spun yarn but it worked wonderfully in this lovely DK weight yarn as well!

Lastly I am making a new sweater for my son who is just about to turn 10 years old. I dyed this 100% Merino Wool yarn about a year ago with Black Walnut that my friend from Sheerlark Farm sent me last Christmas. I think I overfilled my dye pot and it had little blotches all over it. It has been hanging in my closet until I figured out what to do with it. As I am knitting it the blotches create a lovely variegated coloring. It is awesome. The picture here is a little washed out but when the sweater is finished I will post a picture then and hopefully the color will be more visible.

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T05:50:00.000-08:00

Let us rejoice in the passing of the harsh winter and look forward to the coming rebirth of Spring. Yeah, it is still a bit off but that is the point of Solstice, looking forward to what is to come and saying goodbye to what was. It is a lovely concept and I so enjoy playing the game. No, I am not pagan but I do enjoy pagan festivals. They center around the glory of nature and that is ALL me. So on this the shortest day of the year lets take a moment to recognize the beauty that surrounds us. The wonder of nature in all its complexity and synergy.

Last October my dear friend at SheerLark Farm sent me some roving from her sheep. I spun it and made myself a hoodie and fingerless mitts. I love the hoodie idea with the neck warmer built in so that I can just throw back the hood if I get hot and let it sit like on a jacket. When it is really cold I wear a hat under it to keep my forehead warm too. The combination is toasty and warm. I did dye the pieces after knitting them to match my brown coat. I keep telling her I will post pictures so, finally, here they are.

Yarn Sale!

2009-11-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

In preparation and anticipation of Black Friday coming soon I have begun a huge yarn sale. I am adding new yarns to the sale daily! Here is just a sampling of what you can find for 15% off the normal price:

SALE - Scarlet Bugler - 400 Yards - Merino and Nylon Fingering Weight Yarn
Normally $18.00 now only $15.30!

SALE - Sheep in Sunset - 300 Yards - Merino Wool Sport Weight Yarn
Normally $15.00 now only $12.75!

SALE - Magnolia Seed Pod - 300 Yards - Merino Wool Sport Weight Yarn
Normally $15.00 now only $12.75!

SALE - Fringed Onion - 300 Yards - Merino Wool Sport Weight Yarn
Normally $15.00 now only $12.75!

SALE - Farm Truck - 300 Yards - Merino Wool Sport Weight Yarn
Normally $15.00 now only $12.75!

SALE - Wild Rose - 450 Yards - Merino and Nylon Fingering Weight Yarn
Normally $20.25 now only $17.22!

SALE - Winter Fat - 400 Yards - BFL Fingering Weight Yarn
Normally $20.00 now only $17.00!

Yellow on Yellow - Superfine Merino and Silk - Extra Fine Lace Weight Yarn - 600 yds
Normally $16.00 now only $13.60!

What am I working on?

2009-10-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile. I just get caught up in life and don't get to it sometimes. I have been keeping busy with projects though! I am still working on the rug I blogged about a while ago. I do a little here and there. It is a bit tedious so is a long term project. I have finished a few pairs of socks since my last check in too. You can see what I am currently working on below:)

Above you can see some roving that my dear friend Sherry sent me as "packing" with my birthday gifts. Yea, just "packing" lol. I couldn't wait to get to my spinning wheel with it. I finished it yesterday and it is absolutely gorgeous. I am going to make a hat or hoodie for myself with it. The natural color is so creamy and luscious I decieded not to dye it but just keep the natural splendor. It was a dream to spin. This roving is 100% Columbia wool from SheerLark Farms. It is easily as nice as any Merino I have ever spun. It is soft as can be and not itchy at all. It was easy to spin and just drifted off of my fingers easily. I would love to spin more of this for sure!! Thank you Sherry!

I made my husband and son matching rainbow hats out of Merino Worsted weight yarn I dyed. It was a mess up yarn so I used it for personal projects. This is one of the hats.

Don's hat from another angle.

These are socks I am making out of this yarn from my shop. I am using the Monkey Sock Pattern from Knitty.com. I love this pattern!!

Lastly, I am making myself a hat now out of this DK Superwash in Kaliedoscope also from my shop. I need hats too!!!

Fire Season is Still Roaring

2009-10-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. Fires have been breaking out all over southern California and a new one has started close to my home.

The black circle is roughly where I live. This map makes scale a little hard to understand but it was 5 miles east of Wrightwood last night at and I am (as the crow flies) about 1 mile North of Wrightwood. As "the crow flies" is actually mountain range though so that is a nice buffer. It has to go through mountains and then down the mountain to get to me. Fire tends to burn up more than down. I am not feeling overly scared right now. Just keeping a close eye!

ANNOUNCEMENT

New Evacuations in portions of Wrightwood
The following areas in Wrightwood are under mandatory evacuation: all areas east of Heath Canyon and on the west side of Heath Canyon the areas bounded by Lone Pine Canyon, Hwy 2 and Heath Canyon.... more
INCIDENT UPDATED 1:37 HRS. AGO
Approximate Location
34.267 latitude, -117.483 longitude
Map data ©2009 Tele Atlas - Terms of Use
Hybrid
Terrain
Incident Overview

The Sheep Fire is burning between Lytle Creek Cyn and Highway 138. New mandatory evacuations are being put in place in Wrightwood for the areas east of Heath Canyon and west of Heath Canyon between Lone Pine Canyon Rd. and Hwy 2. The remainder of Wrightwood is under voluntary evacuation. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for the following areas in Lytle Creek: Applewhite, Happy Jack, areas east of Lytle Creek up to and including Mountain Lakes RV Park. Mandatory evacuations are in place also for Swarthout Cyn and areas along Hwy 138 between I-15 and Hess Rd. An evacuation center is located at Eisenhower High School in Rialto and at Victorville Fairgrounds. Small animals can be taken to the Devore Animal Shelter. Large and small animals may be taken to the Victorville Fairgrounds. Glen Helen Rodeo grounds was taking large animals but is now full.

Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire

Cause Under Investigation

Date of Origin Saturday October 03rd, 2009 approx 02:11 PM

Location Between Lytle Creek & Lone Pine Canyons

Incident Commander Unkovich & Nunez

Current Situation
Total Personnel 1,000

Size 3,500 acres

Percent Contained 10%

Fuels Involved
Chaparral and timber

Fire Behavior
Large fire growth and short range spotting has been occurring.

Significant Events
Currently the fire is moving north to northwest from Swarthout Canyon to Highway 138.

Outlook
Growth Potential
Extreme

Terrain Difficulty
Extreme

Remarks
The Forest Service is in unified command with San Bernardino County Fire and the San Bernardino County Sherrif's Dept. Resources assigned to the fire are: 13 handcrews, 57 engines, 4 dozers, 4 water tender, 4 helicopters and 9 airtankers (including the DC-10 and the Martin Mars).
Current Weather
Wind Conditions 40 mph SW
Temperature 65 degrees
Humidity 40%

The New Faire Sock Pattern is finally avaliable!

2009-09-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this sock pattern for months now. I got the idea when I went to the Renaissance Faire this year for the first time. I may be working there next year so I will need to make a costume. It seemed logical to start with the socks. These socks are made with DK weight yarn so they work up fairly quickly. They have calf shaping and the pattern is written so that each sock will fit the individual they were made for perfectly! I have included diagrams to help lead you through the different sections and techniques so that any intermediate knitter should be able to accomplish this pattern. If you have ever made a sock before it will be a breeze. It is made with standard techniques with much shaping thrown in for good fit and socks that will stay up all day long.
I am listing yarn colors to go with these socks daily so keep checking back to see more color choices. Feel free to ask if there is a color you want and don't see:)

Worsted Weight Yarn marked down 20%!!

2009-09-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

20% off all of the yarn in my Worsted Weight Yarn section! I need to clear this out to make room for new yarn. Please help me out by enjoying these savings:)

LPR Bookmarks on Sale!

2009-09-07T06:49:00.001-07:00

Buy two bookmarks for $16.00 and save! Normally $10.00 each!
Discount taken after purchase or contact me for a new invoice.

These bookmarks will turn the most die hard book hater into an avid reader! Who could resist the decadence of this ribbon-like lace bookmark? This is a wonderful gift for that special person in your life young or old. Get one for yourself too. You are worth it!

Each of these bookmarks was hand crocheted in an LPR original colorway. They are each made from a luxurious blend of either merino wool and silk or alpaca, cashmere and silk. Each listing will give you the particular details.

If you want to make your own bookmark you can find the original pattern here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28078059

California Widlfires

2009-08-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

For those wondering how we are doing with fires, I took these pictures this morning of what the smoke is like here. We are basically surrounded by fires but none close enough to threaten us right now (knock on wood).

This is to the East of us taken from my back yard. You can see the lot across the street here but that is about it. The sky is just gray.

This is South with the mountains about 2 miles away. You can't see the mountains at all.

This is North looking down into the valley. You can usually see for MILES!

And this is West towards the biggest fires.

This is some of the ash that is settling. It is a fine thin layer over everything. This settled next to the hose. I moved the hose and took the picture so you could see.

I have had the house closed for three days now with the fan running to filter the air. The air quality in our house isn't too bad. You can smell smoke a bit but WAY better than outside. If I am out too long my head gets really stuffy and my sinuses really tight. I have mild asthma so I am wearing a filter to take care of the animals and water the plants. Other than that we are staying in. I hope they get it under control soon! Two firefighters have died so far. Anyone who thinks earthquakes are the scary part of living in CA is wrong. It is wild fires. They are terrifying and they happen every year...

Our Newest Team Member Interview!

2009-08-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Jennifer Priest of Hydrangea Hippo as our first High Desert Street Team member interview! Please check out Jennifer's Shop and Blog and leave a comment there to let her know you stopped by:)

1. What is your shop name and does it have special meaning?

My shop is named Hydrangea Hippo. Silly, right? There actually is a story behind it. A bunch of friends and I were on our way to a scrapbook store named Pink Pineapple in Vista, CA and we started joking about what our scrapbook store would be named if we had one, pairing colors with object names through alliteration. I joked that I would name mine Hydrangea Hippo and it stuck!

2. What do you make and how did you start?

I make paper crafting kits and sell embellishments and goodies for papercrafting. Many times I find items that are perfect for papercrafting but not necessarily "scrapbooking" supplies. I love featuring these finds in my shop, such as the triple bead stick pins I am featuring in my shop right now.

I started an etsy shop because I started teaching scrapbooking classes about 6 years ago and needed a way to sell kits leftover from classes. Someone suggested etsy and the rest is history! I've always had an entreprenuerial spirit so creating and selling is something I thoroughly enjoy. I recently started offering monthly layout and project kits exclusive to my etsy shop in addition to my regular items & past class kits.

Read the rest here!

Kumihimo

2009-08-13T07:31:00.001-07:00

I would like to thank IEAH (Patty) for inviting me to their Park Day to share Kumihimo with them! I had a great time and you were all the fastest learners I have ever seen!! I look forward to coming back to hang out with you.

For those of you who learned kumihimo at the CHN Family EXPO this year I have made up better instructions that I think will help you to remember how to do this at home. I have shown them here but if you would like me to e-mail you a PDF so you can print them up e-mail me at epicurus000@msn.com and I will get it right out to you!

CHN's 2009 Family EXPO

2009-08-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the EXPO finally came and went. I had a wonderful time in the Home Arts room teaching all sorts of classes along with some wonderful helpers! Here are a few snapshots of my families experience. My husband took the pictures and he was mostly at the pool with our 9 yr old son. Our almost 17 yr old was doing his own thing with his friends as well as volunteering and our 19 yr old stopped by for a few hours one day but didn't end up in any pictures at all unfortunately.

Kumihimo (Japanese braiding) with Candice.

Waiting for the Needle Felting class with Phaedra Cheydleur to begin. It was a wonderful class!

Crewel Embroidery.

Knitting with Nicole and I:)

Casey and I working on some crochet techniques.

Ashley and Nicole Sowers teaching a very full class of Origami.

These are pictures of the egg drop my middle son did with his friends. You have to encase an egg in a way that it won't break when dropped from a balcony. These pictures are of them preparing their contraption.

And this is their contraption being dropped and the display of the unbroken egg at the end. They did it!

My friend Crystal and her daughter with my son. They are buddies and spent some time together throughout the EXPO.

The Boy in the Keva Plank room. He and his father had a great time building in there!

The Boy doing his dead mans float. He really got to test his swimming skills at the EXPO!

Spider Bookmark and Special Offer!

2009-07-21T05:37:00.001-07:00

First I want to offer something special to those of you who take the time to come and look at my blog. If you come to my shop and buy ANYTHING just mention my blog and I will take 15% off of your entire order. ANYTHING in the store:) I am not offering any discounts anywhere else. This is just for you. Happy shopping!

Next up is my newest design. It is called the Spider Bookmark because it is based on a really old traditional stitch pattern called the Spider. It is my personal favorite and the perfect stitch for this lovely bookmark. I used luxury lace weight yarn and it elevates the bookmark to something divine. It is so silky and wonderful feeling and drapes like the finest silk ribbon. I am making these bookmarks for my family and friends this Christmas. It is the perfect traveling project because it is so tiny. I have been bringing a travel project bag everywhere I go and making them for a few weeks now. Once you get the hang of the pattern you won't even need to look at the instructions anymore! You can find it here.

My Rug and YoYo's

2009-07-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

Here is another project I have been working on. It is for my living room. I have a lot of yarn scraps that I have accumulated over time. Many of them very small as a result of the dying process. I had the idea to use my embellish it machine to turn my fingering weight scraps into a bulky yarn and crochet a rug out of it. It is coming out wonderfully! I don't know many people that like pain as much as I do that would be willing to spend the hours it takes to make the yarn required for this project lol I am making it as I go along. It is slow going but it will get done eventually!

And this is yet another project that is being offered at the EXPO! Becky is going to teach how to make these lovely yo yo flowers. I have been wearing mine as a brooch all week long and loving it! You can learn more about all of the projects here.

Faire Socks and EXPO Flower

2009-07-01T07:24:00.001-07:00

I haven't been listing a lot of new yarns lately because I have been so busy with other things lately. One of the things I am working on is a new knitted sock pattern. I was inspired after going to the Renaissance Faire a few months ago to write a Faire Sock pattern. It is a knee high fitted sock. It has a shaped calf so that it will stay up properly. They are very fitted with custom measurements for the ribbing, calf, and ankle to make it a perfect fit for any leg! You can see pictured the yellow socks. Those are mine and the prototype. I am now making the 2nd blue one which is for my husband. His leg is a bit skinnier than mine but taller. I will make some for my 9 yr old last and then it goes to my tester, Kathy:) If she can successfully make one that fits her well with this pattern I will be ready to run with it. It would be helpful if I had a better idea of the range of leg sizes. If you don't mind taking a moment to send in your measurements I would be most grateful! What I need is:
Circumference just below the knee.

Circumference of the widest part of the calf.

Circumference of ankle.

You can post it here in the replies or to my e-mail epicurus000@msn.com

The other thing I have been working on is this paper flower I am going to be teaching at the CHN Family EXPO in August! This will be taught the Thursday night before the EXPO begins for all the poeple who come early to help set up and get ready:) I am bringing pins so we can wear them during the EXPO. They are really neat, easy to make, and made out of crepe paper.

Home Made Laundry Soap

2009-06-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has been making her own laundry soap for some time and I finally got around to giving it a try myself. It worked GREAT and was very easy to do. I found several you tube videos that describe the same recipe but here is the website I used with a tutorial. Give it a try. You will save money and have a wonderful natural laundry soap you can feel good about using!

Updated the Home Arts page for the 2009 CHN Family EXPO

2009-06-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

Take a look!

YART SALE - Art + Yard Sale = Yart!

2009-06-10T06:56:00.001-07:00

I am participating in the Yart Sale on Etsy sponsored by Team ESST. The Second Annual Yart Sale will be from Wednesday, June 10 through Sunday, June 14, 2009.
Look in my Yert Sale Section to see a huge variety of items ALL marked down 15% for the duration of the sale! Prices in listings are regular prices. I will refund you the difference after your purchase or send you an updated invoice if you prefer.

Uptown Stitches Coupon Discount just for YOU!

2009-06-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Uptown Stitches is offering a special coupon discount only to those in the know. This is good until July 31st and it is free shipping with this coupon code W2D4-06

Happy shopping!!
Collette

Lupine Campground

2009-06-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

Don and I had another date night. Of course, for us that means an over night camp out in the mountains. We have been to Lupine many times on day trips but never camped there before. It is a very out of the way campsite accessible only to hearty 2 wheel drive vehicles and 4x4's. You have to take a rutted forest dirt road to 8,300 ft and then back down to a cool 6,500 ft where Lupine sits nestled into the valley forest. There is no water available and you have to pack all of your trash out with you but they do have pit toilets. We were the only people there! It was awesome. Here is a little photo journal of our stay.

Don and I

Making fudge in the Dutch Oven

I think this is called Elephants Head

The yellow flower is Wall Flower and the red is Indian Paintbrush. So pretty!

The campground is called Lupine for a reason. They were in the peak of bloom and spectacular.

Don caught me taking pictures across the meadow.

More Lupine.

Thistle.

There were so many birds that I decided to set up a chair and sit with my camera and see if I could capture some of them on film. I only got one and not the best pictures at that. This little bird had a mouth full of nesting material I suppose.

Same bird, different view.

Hummingbirds.

This snake was crossing the road when were on our way back home. Don calls it a Mountain Rattlesnake.

Nice rattle!

How to line a hand made purse - the easy way!

2009-05-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine bought a purse that was hand made and the lining was made from an old pair of jeans. Such a great idea, I had to try it myself.
I made this purse a few months ago and the lining was coming loose so it seemed the perfect candidate. I used a pair of jeans my 9 yr old son grew out of and they were the just the right size. I simply cut off the legs and sewed across the bottom. I dropped this into my purse and whip stitched it in place. Simple and so very functional. All the pockets make perfect storage. The little change pocket is where I keep my lip balm. I am so very pleased and thought some of you might like to try this idea too. Have fun and please show me pictures if you do it!

Collette

For the Knitters

2009-05-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

For the Knitters - Kitchener stitch tutorial:) http://etsyhighdesert.blogspot.com/

New Pattern!

2009-05-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Today I listed my newest original Lazy Perry Ranch knitting pattern. It is called Collette's Kerchief. I made and sold these last year but they were much smaller and I didn't release the pattern for them. I decieded to make a larger version that had been requested by several clients and release the pattern. Kathy tested it for me and it is finally ready for listing. I am very pleased with the finished pattern! I am also going to list some Kercheifs starting tomorrow for those who may want one but don't knit. The Kerchief pictured is made from sport weight Suri Alpaca and Merino Yarn dyed with red cabbage. I love the subtle color it makes. I made myself one as well as one to list in this color!

Uptown Stitches

2009-05-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Uptown Stitches is up and running! Uptown Stitches is a new on-line yarn store that was created by a friend of mine, Sheila who runs Wool2Dye4. She has spent months collaborating and coordinating to make this happen. You can find my yarn here. This is what the front page introductions says:

Welcome to Uptown Stitches

Beautiful yarns of color from Hand-Dye Artists as well as Yarn Companies. Our collection will please the knitter looking for subtle yet vibrant color palettes.

Browse our yarns by name of the Hand-Dye Artist or Yarn Company, or by the weight of yarn.

Sock Knitters will find a unique selection of sock yarns in many fiber blends.

Uptown Stitches is the sister site to Wool2Dye4, and we share the honor of being the only yarn company licensed to sell British Wool in the States. This includes the rare Bluefaced Leicester yarn, and a unique British Merino spun from the highest grade of fiber in 2007.

Our Patterns are created for the modern woman with a casual, yet sophisticated outlook.

Come by and have a look!

The Mojave Road

2009-05-15T09:08:00.001-07:00

This is the photo journal of our Mojave Road Drive that we did in May 2009. The Mojave Road was originally the path the Mojave Indians made to travel across the desert. It went from water source to water source and was later used by settlers to get across the desert. Eventually the railway came through but choose a different path and so the road fell into disuse. There is much history along this path with abandoned forts and homes scattered throughout. I have the pictures here in the order of our drive with plant pictures at the end for those who are interested in looking.
You can click on any of the pictures to see a close up.

The beginning of the journey starting near Laughlin Nevada.

Turkey Vulture. We saw MANY of these birds in the sky throughout.

This building says Hotel on the front but I don't know anything about it.

Don taking pictures.

There are cairns along the way marking the trail and we added one to help future trail drivers.

Fort Piute.

Fort Piute.

Fort Piute.

Fort Piute.

Red barrel cactus all over this hill near Fort Piute.

The boy with his grasshopper find.

Desert Tortoise.

Nevada Southern Railway

Abandoned Stone House.

We saw this little baby bobcat kitten at the Abandoned Stone House and it took a liking to Don. We didn't touch it but it was so darn cute we took lots of pictures.

More Bobcat between Don's legs.

Camp Rock Springs.

Camping in the wash at Camp Rock Springs.

The rock cabin on the hill above Rock Springs.

Looking off the porch of the cabin. Down below is where we camped.

The Mojave Road Plaque.

Mojave Green Rattlesnake.

Marl Springs

Marl Springs

The Mailbox with a sign in book inside.

Don.

Closer look at the Mailbox.

Frog memorial.

The boys ready to drive more. My 16 yr old drove the entire trip!

You can see Soda Lake in the distance.

Driving across Soda Lake. I'm talking to the boys, you can see them behind us in the rear view mirror:)

Driving across Soda Lake.

You can see in the distance what used to be called Soda Springs and is now Zzyzx.

The Travelers Monument on Soda Lake. You can see Don with his contribution for the cairn.

You can see his rock in the air having been tossed towards the cairn.

Here we are driving through Afton canyon. We were planning on exploring more the next day but we ended up going all the way home that evening. It was really incredible and we are going to do a camping trip there soon!

Afton canyon.

The Boy fording the Mojave River:)

Sand Dunes.

Sand Dunes.

2009-05-03T13:01:00.001-07:00

Last week Hubby/Don and I went to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire. My friend Crystal has worked at the fair off and on since she was about 12 and is working this year. She invited us along for the journey. Following are just a few of the pictures Don took on our visit. Enjoy!

The Queen

Crystal and her dear old friend who plays the harp and sings IRL. You can learn more about Regan and her music here.

This is another of Crystals long time family friends, Nicholas who is a Goldsmith. He was a sweetheart and gifted me with a hand made sewing needle which I cherish:)

Don is really into photography and this woman was way too much to pass up lol

Here is Crystal hard at work singing songs as a washer woman.

Crystal and I:)

Crystal and I posing selectively for Don's pleasure.

My true nature revealed.

The dead procession came through and Crystal broke out in a spinning dance. It was lovely and I love how the pictures came out!

I kept noticing this fellow with one white eye and a scar through it. I asked Don to get a picture of him but he kept missing. I guess he heard me because he suddenly just grabbed me and Don snapped this picture. He really startled me!!

My New Anthem - Craft Talk

2009-04-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Phat Fiber Sampler Box

2009-04-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the Phat Fiber Sampler Box? It is a really cool way to try out a lot of different etsy artists fibery related products without having to buy whole skeins from everyone. You will get enough in each sample to either make a good sized swatch or even a small project. There are also coupons and other fiber related things like patterns and stitch markers!!

I stumbled on Phat Fiber and was intrigued. I am contributing to the May box. I made up 60 samples to send in. I thought I would just whip up some samples likity split and send them in. Nearly 2 weeks later they are ready! I had to measure and skein each sample and make up some lovely custom labels and of course attach the labels too. I chose 5 different hand dyed yarns to share. One of them is hand spun and one is dyed with natural dye. The other three are all different weights/fibers blends. Here is a little teaser picture.

If you want in on this get to the shop and find out how to sign up. They go really fast so don't procrastinate. You can also check out the PhatFiber.com for all kinds of information about the contributers and other fun things too!

Great Gift Ideas!

2009-04-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my last post a new street team that has just been formed by Etsyers who live in the High Desert of Southern California. It is called High Desert Etsy Street Team. Check out the High Desert Etsy Street Team Blog for wonderful year round gift ideas anyone can do themselves!!

Here is a little teaser of the kinds of things you will see. You will have to go to the blog to see more! There are only 6 of us so far so please stop by and leave a comment for Hydrangea Hippos great gift ideas! If you have an Etsy shop and live in the High Desert you are invited to join our little street team!

Roving on Sale!

2009-04-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

Check out the new Etsy High Desert Street Team!

10% off of all of my rovings! Prices in listings are regular price. Discount will be taken after purchase. You can find all of these lovely rovings here!

Hand Spun Yarn on SALE!

2009-04-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is a great opportunity to try out hand spun yarn for less. Check it out!

California Homeschool Network Family Expo 2009 - Home Arts Projects

2009-04-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

If you are attending the Family Expo this year you may be interested in some of the Home Arts Sessions. I am going to be listing all of the projects here between now and the EXPO so you can see what we are doing. There are still more projects to come so keep checking back in!
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Here is the newest addition to our Home Arts Projects! This project will be taught Friday at 2:00 by Becky Maxwell. This yo yo brooch is really easy and very fun to make. It just takes a little bit of super simple hand sewing and it really is cute on. All materials will be provided.

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This project will be taught Thursday Evening for those who come early to help set up and get ready. I think they will be lovely to wear during the EXPO! It is easy to make out of Crepe Paper. I will bring safety pins so those who wish to wear theirs can do so!

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Learn to Knit with Collette Perry and Nicole Orton
Saturday at 11:00 in the Board Room

This class is for people who want to learn how to knit. We will be making a basic coaster. We have lots of yarn and knitting needles for you to use. You can keep your yarn and bring it around the expo with you but if you want to have knitting needles to use outside of this class you should bring them yourself. They are very inexpensive and easy to find at any craft store. We will be using a size 7, 8, or 9 needles.
If you need a knit refresher this class is also for you! If any of you want to take your knitting to the next step we can do that if time allows. All of you are invited to join us in the last session of each day to work on our projects and get help in the areas you are interested in learning more!

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Learn to Crochet with Collette Perry
Friday at 11:00 in the Board Room

This class is for people who want to learn how to crochet. We will be making a basic coaster. We have lots of yarn and crochet hooks for you to use. You can keep your yarn and bring it around the expo with you but if you want to have a crochet hook to use outside of this class you should bring one yourself. They are very inexpensive and easy to find at any craft store. We will be using a size H hook.
If you need a crochet refresher this class is also for you! If any of you want to take your crochet to the next step we can do that if time allows. All of you are invited to join us in the last session of each day to work on our projects and get help in the areas you are interested in learning more!

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Crewel Embroidery with Collette Perry and Beth Foster
Sunday at 11:00 in the Board Room

We will be making a sampler. It is a type of embroidery in which the stitches are done the traditional way. What is unique about Crewel is that you draw your design right on the fabric and it is done with wool yarn rather than ribbon or floss! Here is the sampler we will be doing. Each one will look different as we will each draw the design ourselves.
All of you are invited to join us in the last session of each day to work on our projects and get help in the areas you are interested in learning more!

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Kuminimo or Japanese Braiding with Collette Perry
Saturday at 2:00 in the Board Room

This is a really fun technique of braiding traditionally done on a wooden stand called a "marudai". We are going to do it on a piece of cardboard. It works very well. It is fairly simple, you only have to remember a few rules. I have pictured two bracelets I made using this technique. In class you can choose to make a bracelet (more complicated) or a key chain (easier).
All of you are invited to join us in the last session of each day to work on our projects and get help in the areas you are interested in learning more!

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Make your own Yarn with Nicole Orton
Friday at 9:30 in the Board Room

Nicole will demonstrate and teach you the art of spinning yarn using a drop spindle. This has been a very popular class in past EXPO's and is back by popular demand! All supplies will be provided and there will be drop spindles for sale at minimal cost if you want to keep yours. This is what they look like.
**If you have a drop spindle from last year or any drop spindle please bring your own. Our supplies are limited.**
All of you are invited to join us in the last session of each day to work on our projects and get help in the areas you are interested in learning more!

This is what the home made drop spindle look like.

Drop spindle with wool ready to spin!

Demonstration of how to make yarn with a drop spindle.

International Year of Natural Fibers, 2009

2009-03-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

The United Nations General Assembly recently declared 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fiber. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN resolution would help millions of people around the world, among them some of the poorest people in some of the poorest countries, which depend on the production and processing of natural fibers for their livelihood. Natural fibers contribute to food security and economic development for these farmers.

The International Year of Natural Fibers is expected to raise consumers' awareness of natural fibers and strengthen demand for natural fiber products, improving the livelihoods of the farmers who produce them and translate to revenues for countries that export them. At the same time, promoting the use of natural fibers will enhance the environment.

The wide range of natural fibers includes cotton, wool, jute, flax, silk, sisal, coconut fiber and many others. Some are produced from plants, others from animals and they are used in clothing and other consumer goods, as well as in industrial applications.
From http://www.ebc.org.ph/news/read.php?id=74

Did you know it is The International Year of Fibers? What will you do to honor this initiative? I think I am going to finally use the fibers from my animals in my shop. I haven't up until now because of the extra work involved but I am going to bite the bullet and make it happen! I have fleece from SheerLark Farm as well as Fleece from my beloved Athena and Bacchus (Athena has since passed). I have one angora bunny right now and I have saved up a good amount of that fiber as well. I even have some cotton I grew a few years back. Look for all of this in my shop in 2009!

My FO's

2009-03-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

My Spring Cleaning Sale is still on! Everything is on sale!! That adds up to a lot of savings especially on the shawls and larger yarns! Don't miss it. Sale ends on Friday March 27th!

Here are the projects I have been working on lately. I have been learning some new techniques and I wanted to use them in some of my projects. Now in my arsenal are Tunsian Crochet (also known as crochetknit) and hairpin lace which is another form of crochet. Here is what I have made:

This is my newest purse. It is knit from a skein of hand spun I did that I didn't think was very pretty. It also broke a few times during plying so I didn't want to sell it. It came out so much nicer than I expected! I am very pleased. The body of the purse is all stockinette stitch and the straps are Tunisian crochet. I wanted the straps to be thicker and stronger but still look knit and Tunisian worked perfectly!! It has a cardboard insert on the bottom to keep it's shape and it is fully lined with pockets for all of my little things.

This is the back of the purse.

And another view.

This is a Tunisian crochet rug I made. It is in my bathroom right now and it works great and looks fabulous!

This is a sock I am currently working on. It is made from sport weight yarn in the color Alba.

And lastly this is a doily I made using hair pin lace techniques. The lacy part near the center is actually the hairpin lace and the rest is regular crochet. I made it just to practice and learn the techniques. It was really quick and I am very pleased. I did make a few small errors but for a first project I think it came out great!

Spring Cleaning Sale!

2009-03-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning Sale! Everything in my store is on sale!

I need a new pattern tester!

2009-03-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

I need a new pattern tester. My tester just opened a yarn shop and is too busy to test patterns right now. I need someone who is an experienced crocheter and would like to test crochet sock patterns for me. If you are interested let me know and I will give you the details. This is the next pattern that needs testing!

Roving/Spinning Fiber now avaliable at the Lazy Perry Ranch!

2009-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

I have added hand dyed rovings to my shop! Right now I am offering a variety of colors in Merino Wool. If you want a different fiber just let me know.
Collette
PS. Keep checking back as I am adding lots of other colors daily.

Soothing

Rainbow

Feminine

Tranquil

Refreshing

Depth

Divine

Today I feature Knits By Teri

2009-02-25T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have known Teri for some time now. About a year ago we collaborated on a project together. She designed a lace shawl pattern and I designed the yarn to go with it. I was looking at her shop the other day and noticed this incredible pattern she has designed. It is too advanced for the likes of me but I like it so much I wanted to share it here. Here it is in her words straight from the listing:

This lovely rectangular/square shawl’s final shawl size is approximately 59” x 60” – almost a square and could be blocked to be a perfect square. The shawl in the pictures was made using a lace weight merino wool yarn hand dyed with natural dyes by Renaissance Dyes. You can see her lovely yarns at:
http://www.renaissancedyeing.com/

This pattern was submitted to a contest and won the lace knitting pattern prize. You can find the pattern as well as kits (the pattern with the yarn required) at Renaissance Dyes website above as well.

This shawl is knitted in the Orenburg style of knitting and is for the experienced knitter. It is knitted in a continuous fashion by knitting the bottom edging, picking up the stitches for the main body across that edge, knitting the body and the side edgings and finally knitting the top edge as you ‘cast off’ the body stitches. When all the knitting is done, the final edge stitches and top stitches are grafted together to make a completely seamless garment. Because the edges and the shawl’s body are worked at the same time, the knitter must keep track of a number of patterns at the same time.

This pattern requires approx. 2900 yards/2650 m (total weight 7.8 oz/220 grams) of lace weight yarn, one pair size US 1 (2.25 mm) knitting needles, stitch markers, and a yarn needle to run the ends in. You will also need a small piece of waste yarn (I would suggest a heavy cotton thread) and a crochet hook to make a chain (from the waste yarn) for the initial cast on.

The stitches used in this pattern are: knit, yarn over, knit 2 together and knit 3 together (and the various versions of these two). The overall stitch in this garment is garter stitch so there are no purl stitches. There are also some short rows (rows where you don’t knit all the stitches but turn the entire garment and work back on the stitches you just finished) to create the corners and the grafting can be a challenge.

Purchase of pattern includes email support and pattern updates. A pdf file of the pattern will be emailed within 24 hours of completed payment. Please note: e-checks can take 3-4 days to clear.

Pattern is intended for personal use only and is not to be commercially exploited in any way.

Today I Feature HeirloomLace!

2009-02-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

Today I feature HeirloomLace. You can find her shop here and you can also find her on Ravelry. Karen is a fabulous lace knitter and designer! Be sure to look around her shop for some really wonderful things! She knit this Lemon Meringue Pie Shawlette using my extra fine lace weight yarn in Yellow on Yellow. I am out of stock in this color right now but I will be making more in the near future:)

Enjoy!
Collette

Lizard Ridge Neckwarmer

2009-02-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

I was looking around on Ravelry and found this pattern I just couldn't take my eyes off of. I got out some sport weight scrap yarn and started making a swatch to see how it knit up. The pattern is supposed to be a dishcloth that was based on a blanket pattern she had designed. It is called Lizard Ridge.
My son walked through the room and saw the swatch and asked if it was his neck warmer I said I would make him. What the heck, I said Yes it is:) I absolutely love how it came out. I changed the colors a little differently than the pattern did and that makes it very unique. I might have to make me one too!

"THE" Sweater

2009-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

I have only made one sweater and that was several years ago. I made my husband a sweater made out of hand spun fiber from our alpaca. It was right after we had gotten our alpaca and I had just gotten my spinning wheel. The sweater came out nicely but it weighs a ton! It is for very serious cold weather only.
Fast forward to now and I have just completed my 2nd sweater. My son who just turned 9 wanted a sweater. He wanted a blue hand knit sweater. I chose a pattern I thought would be fairly easy, dyed up some worsted weight merino yarn and got started.
It went very well until the collar which was the very last component. The stitch count was correct and everything seemed OK. I followed the instructions and made a ribbed collar. When I was done and put it on him it was obvious something went very wrong. It was all stretched out and gaping in the collar. It was sort of just hanging open. It was a boat neck gone VERY wrong.
My son LOVED it none the less. He did not want to let me fix it. He wore it a few days before he said I could alter it. I added some more ribbing and reduced to pull it in. It was better but still very wrong. I had to dye the entire thing again at that point to make the newer yarn match.
He, once again loved it and I cringed every time I looked at it. He wanted to wear it out and show it off. Then I had the idea to take the collar out completely and crochet a collar into it. I had a picture in my mind and I thought it might salvage this sweater. It did and he can now wear it without me cringing. He has worn it for 2 weeks straight lol
Here it is in all its glory. The fact that he loves it so much really makes it special.

Alpaca, Silk, and Cashmere Oh My!

2009-01-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

I have started carrying this amazing yarn that is 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, and 10% Cashmere Extra Fine Lace Weight and it is so decadent and lovely! I have had a lot of interest in this yarn so I have just listed it in 4 new colors!
Collette

Bachelors Button

Mariposa Lily

Desert Juniper

Red Rose

Fireworks (to be listed tomorrow:)

Today I feature Moonlitbeach

2009-01-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

If you have never seen the Dragon Shawl it is quite spectacular. Here is it crocheted by Moonlitbeach in a fingering weight yarn by Hand Jive. I think she made a great color choice for this project! It looks gorgeous! You can find Moonlitbeach on Raverly and see all of her other wonderful FO's here.

If you would like to make the Dragon Shawl Pattern you can find the pattern here. You can find yarn dyed specially for the pattern here. Or if you want to buy a finished Dragon Shawl you can find it here. Thank you Moonlitbeach!

Finished Projects!

2008-12-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a number of projects lately. This first one is a pair of socks made from Lazy Perry Ranch Rainbow Color Progressing Sock Yarn. I used a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks that I have used before and really like. This yarns is simply wonderful not only in color but in feel too. It is very elastic and feels so nice on my feet. I have already worn and washed them and they are just wonderful. I can't wait to make other Color Progressing Socks!!

Next is my newest crochet sock pattern that will be released soon. I have worn these a few times now and they wash up wonderfully by hand. They are not superwash so that is very important! They are made from special lace weight yarn that makes them very wearable and more like a knitted sock. This pattern is with my new tester right now and as soon as she is finished and adjustments are made, it will be available in my shop, on Raverly, and on Patternfish!

Lastly is a matching set that I am giving as a gift to someone special on my list. First is a neck warmer. I used this pattern by Abigail Welbourn that I found through Ravelry. It was very well written and worked up quickly. I am very pleased! I also made slippers out of the same hand dyed yarn.

These slippers were also from Sensational Knitted Socks and worked up really nice. I used an Aran yarn rather than a fingering weight yarn and made the ribbing only 1" to make them more slipper like. The final touch is the puff paint to make them slip proof! I am very pleased and I think the recipient will be very happy too!

SNOW!

2008-12-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you unfamiliar with where I live, we do get snow a few times a year at my house. We usually get a few inches. Yesterday we got several feet! It was fun at first but as the day went on it became somewhat stressful.
I slogged out to the animals several times to shovel a path from protected area to protected area and had to warm the water a few times as well. I kept the snow from building up too high on the chicken wire portion of the roof of the chicken coop etc. The complicating factor is that I have a chest cold and was feeling miserable. I was home alone most of the day with my 8 yr old son who was having the time of his life. Three times we went through the ritual of dressing him for outside play and he literally swam in the snow each time for hours! This morning the whole family is now sick. The roof of the chicken coop finally did succumb to the weight of the snow and collapsed. I spent a good hour shoveling this morning to free up the roof and feed the animals. Here is a bit of a photo log of our snow experience!

My son in his hiding place during the snowfall yesterday.

Tree yesterday.

Same tree today.

Icicles

The path to the animals.

The back patio table.

The Samauri stuck in the snow.

Nutopian

2008-12-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

Today I feature a wonderful knitter Nutopian. She purchased a Build Your Own from my shop and made these wonderful socks as a gift for a friend. They came out so great I wanted to share them with all of you. By doing it through the build Your Own option she basically designed the yarn herself. I just facilitated by dying the yarn to her specifications. I think that is very cool! Watch for more featured artists soon!